Dragonfly
by Moonchild10
Summary: *** OK then, let's make this a little more interesting: Nny is being totrtured. By what, or by who? And why? Is escape possible?
1. Imaginary

Appropriate genres for this story (I could only put 2 in the thing, of course): angst, humor, supernatural, romance, and drama.  
  
*/*/*Intro: Most times, I really dislike criminal types, but I have a soft spot for Johnny. I don't know why. His story actually almost made me weep, reading through the whole thing once, taking a long look a broken, dispirited life where it's not exactly clear where it first began to shatter and crumble. Maybe it's because somehow, deep inside, I'm like Nny in a way. We all are in some small way. Take a look at a day when you've been depressed. I think we can all learn a lot from depression. So let's all just take a look at ourselves before we read this, look for the tormented homicidal maniac inside ourselves, try to relate to the characters, and then take a deep breath. Now settle down for a ride I'm about to take you on. One that starts with a single teardrop....  
  
Prologue (a must read, since it's actually part of the story!):  
  
The cold, blue, wet tear fell from his dark, forlorn eye and hit the dirty wooden floor softly. It made a tiny wet spot there. And that wasn't the only one. There were many wet spots, tiny wet spots, from comrade tears that had hit the floor a few minutes earlier. His shoulders shook with sobs, coming forth after so long of being locked away in his broken soul. He shed tears openly, knowing there was no one to stop him, to tell him to be a man. He wasn't even sure if he was a man anymore. What did you call someone who was broken, from his body to his heart and soul? His heart hadn't been shattered so extremely as the other parts of the dispirited young man so as to block out the pain that flooded him. He couldn't escape the pain. It had been there from the beginning, but he hadn't been able to feel it so definitely. Until this moment. His back slanted against the wall he sat adjacent to. He could feel no reason to stay alive much longer right now.  
  
Slowly, trying to stall his tears, he reached into his pocket. He pulled out a sharp, glossy silver bladed knife. It glinted in the faint light creeping in through the cracks in the boarded up window. The room was bare as he looked around it for a last time. Then, halting his tears, he raised the knife over his own wrist...  
  
Dragonfly:  
  
***Jaded eyes. Seen too many things he'd give his life not to have seen. The pain. Shows when he opens them to the same old life, the same old bedroom walls. He keeps thinking. Is he broken like his heart has been, for so long he's prayed for something else.  
  
Chorus: He's like a dragonfly. He wants to spread his wings and fly away from here. Wants to run away from this well-known fear. Wants to forget the pain of this life. He just wants someone to save his soul. Someone to shield him from the cold. Someone to hold him tight, so he won't be alone tonight.  
  
His father shot himself, when his son was only thirteen. He had to clean his father's blood off of the walls. And that's not the only blood he's seen by far. He'll see so much more. He doesn't want to wake up sometimes. He prays to God to strike him down. To save him from this hell on earth.  
  
Chorus  
  
He wants it all to end before he hurts someone. His mother died, another bullet took away her breath. He cried. He doesn't want to end up like they did. He wants to be something, and yet nothing at all. He just wants to turn it off, before he kills himself, before he kills someone else. Something is poisoning his soul.  
  
Chorus  
  
He doesn't want to lose his mind. He wants to escape this pain. He wants to live but wants to die as well. His heart, his body mind and spirit being disillusioned by a force that's taking over his life. If it would go away he could save himself. But he doesn't know how to go from here.  
  
Chorus  
  
He lies, body broken as far as his heart. Bleeding, praying for another chance before he's wiped away. He wants to do something good. He wants to be like he should. But life is slipping away.  
  
Chorus  
  
He just wants someone...to save his soul.***  
  
Chapter One:  
  
He sat glumly on the understuffed sofa, the tears that had dried on his face making his skin stiff. He twitched his nose. His suicide attempt had not been successful. But he had a long, deep cut running from the very tip of his wrist to the top of his arm, three inches above his shoulder. It bled if he moved his arm too violently. He wasn't surprised about the failed suicide. It always failed. That was just as bad as dying. No, it was worse. He still couldn't figure out what kept him here, writhing in the flame of humanity. Johnny (this was the man's name) knew that the way he suffered couldn't be coincidence. He wasn't crying now. It went off and on. He felt a lot better. But that was only temporary, he knew it. But though he wasn't crying, he could still feel the strength of the sadness inside, like a venom surging through his body. It had gotten better. It was the most recent voice that was causing his suffering. The one who called himself the Bloodman. He was worse than the doughboys.  
  
Bloodman didn't try to make Johnny kill, like the doughboys had. What he did was worse, much worse. He made Johnny realize the error of all he'd ever been, even before the homicide. He made Nny (that's Johnny's name) feel like he was little more than muck on the bottom of life's shoe. He pointed out every tiny fault of Johnny, poisoning him inside and out, making him be driven to tears of rage and realization. Prodding and poking at all of Nny's past sins, until he began to drive him even more insane.  
  
"You're nothing, Johnny," Bloodman's sneering voice came through, searing and burning Nny's self-esteem.  
  
"No I'm not! I'm something! I could be anything if it weren't for you! Leave me alone!" Nny said. And suddenly he felt his stomach twisting violently, and he heaved and threw up the small contents of his stomach onto the floorboards, and Bloodman laughed. This was the tenth time he'd thrown up in the past few days. He was exhausted, he was dehydrated, he was sick with depression. He couldn't take it anymore. And suddenly it all came together.  
  
"You! You're doing this to me!" Nny screamed. Bloodman's voice said nothing, but Nny felt his stomach twist again and he began to dry-heave. "Stop!" Nny screamed when it stopped.  
  
"Do not scream at me, Nny!" Bloodman screamed. And Nny got the dry-heaves again, the pain of his stomach gnawing at itself was unbearable. He moaned in pain. He could feel tears in his eyes again, but not from the pain. From the anger.  
  
"Leave me alone!" Nny muttered, willing himself not to scream.  
  
Bloodman laughed, and Nny felt pain searing intensely along his back, like knives slicing his skin. He screamed, and Bloodman laughed. Nny leaped up and ran. He smashed into the font door and it's rotting wood gave way. He ran down the steps. He ran farther and farther, trying to run away from everything. He ran until he could run no more, and he stopped, hands on his knees, panting for breath. He heard a chuckle. Bloodman.  
  
"You cannot escape me so easily, you skinny faggot," Bloodman hissed. And Nny felt more pain. He began to dry heave, and the white hot pain spread through all of his veins. He began to cough up blood. And he began shaking, and fell to the ground as his knees gave way under him.  
  
"Oh my-" screamed a passing woman. A crowd began to gather around Nny, who was having violent jerking spasms and coughing up yet more blood.  
  
"I'm poisoning your every aspect, Nny! You will soon die! You cannot escape!" screamed Bloodman, but only Nny could hear.  
  
"Stop it!!!!" he screamed. He writhed on the pavement, screaming in agony. 


	2. Set Me Free

Chapter Two:  
  
Devi was driving down the road when she noticed the crowd in front of her. She got out of the car and rushed over to the crowd, some strange force was drawing her near. He pushed her way into the crowd, and saw Nny lying thrashing on the cement.  
  
"Oh hell! Nny!" she screamed, jumping back. 'he's gonna kill me!' she thought. But then she looked at him lying there on the ground. 'he can't hurt me now. Look at him.' she thought.  
  
"Somebody call and ambulance!" screamed somebody. Devi heard a cell phone dialing. And knelt beside Nny, who had stopped thrashing and lay stiff, panting and coughing blood now and then.  
  
"Nny?" Devi asked. He lay so still that she would have been sure he was dead if he wasn't panting hard and looking straight at her.  
  
"Devi? Why are you here? You-you can't be! It's not safe! I can't let you into this! I-" Nny stopped and screamed, clutching his head in pain. He gagged and coughed up an unbelievable amount of blood.  
  
"Oh God Nny are you alright!? Say something!" Devi shrieked.  
  
"I'm going to be..it's fine...:gasp!:" Nny choked. An ambulance pulled up. It's siren was whirring, and uniformed men leaped out.  
  
"You're going to be alright Nny. Don't worry. Calm down," Devi whispered urgently.  
  
"Yes but..can't let you...you have to stay away from me...you'll get killed...he'll..he'll hurt you too!" Nny said as he was being loaded onto a stretcher.  
  
"Who! What?" Devi asked, but Nny disappeared into the ambulance. It pulled away, sirens sounding.  
  
Devi ran to her car. She was going after him. She wasn't sure why. But she was.  
  
*/*/* It took Devi about an hour to get to the hospital because of traffic, so when she got there and ran up to the front desk, she was informed Nny was in a room on the third floor. She walked through the hospital, and when she reached the room, she entered. She could hear the nurses talking.  
  
"...just your average spasm. Possibly a blood clot. But he's fine now."  
  
"...yes, the blood that he coughed up just happens in some people.."  
  
"lucky he's alright..."  
  
Devi entered. The people didn't notice her. They went on talking.  
  
"Where's this guy live?"  
  
"No family records. No records at all."  
  
"Johnny C.? How'd he get away with that?"  
  
"Where'd you get his name?"  
  
"Driver's license..."  
  
"He's a mystery.."  
  
"He can leave now, as soon as he feel up to it. Where's he go?" asked one of the nurses. Devi stepped in at that point.  
  
"He's coming with me," Devi said.  
  
"Any relation?"  
  
"I'm...I'm his...fiance'," Devi lied.  
  
"Name?" the nurse asked.  
  
"Devi D." she replied. She went over to the bed and poked Nny's arm. He opened his eyes.  
  
"Wuh?" he muttered, sitting up and getting out of the bed, looking confused. Devi grabbed his arm.  
  
"Come on. You're coming with me," she mumbled, pulling him out of the room, though gently so as not to hurt him.  
  
"Devi? What? Where are you taking me?" Nny asked.  
  
"My house," she replied.  
  
"Oh," Nny mumbled.  
  
When they reached Devi's car, Nny stood there, doing nothing. Devi opened the passenger door with a little moan of annoyance. Nny got into the passenger seat, and Devi hopped behind the wheel. The car sped off. Nny looked out the window, still looking confused.  
  
"Why did you come?" he asked, as though the question had been bothering him for hours, though it had only been moments.  
  
"I don't know, so don't ask questions. I just felt compelled to. As for saving your ass back there from being discovered, I don't know about that either," Devi said, eyes on the road.  
  
"Saved my ass?" Nny asked.  
  
"If I hadn't showed up and taken you, they would have found out you were a homicidal maniac sooner or later," Devi said, with a little smirk.  
  
"Oh. You know about that?" Nny asked. Devi nodded. "I'm not anymore, you know," he added quickly, and mostly truthfully. He hadn't killed anyone in a while.  
  
They reached Devi's apartment building, and Devi climbed out of the car, so Nny followed. He followed her up the steps slowly. He was still rather weak. When they reached her door she inserted her key, and Nny leaned against the wall for support. She opened the door and entered, so Nny followed.  
  
When he saw the sofa, he almost cried out in joy, for it was something he could rest on. He looked at Devi cautiously.  
  
"Can I..sit down?" He asked. Devi smiled.  
  
"You don't have to be so darned timid," she said with a little laugh. Nny didn't even have the strength left to chuckle, and he sank to the couch. Devi stared at him carefully. "You you sure you're ok?" she asked. Nny gave a slight nod. "I'll be right back," Devi said, and she left the room. She came back a few minutes later, with two mugs of tea.  
  
She handed Nny one and he croaked out a weak 'thanks' and sipped it. Devi sipped at her own, staring at him thoughtfully over the rim of her mug.  
  
"So, do you want to tell me what happened to you?" she asked after a while, and Nny jumped, having been accustomed to the silence.  
  
"Oh. Well, I suppose so. Can it wait 'til morning? I'm sort of.well you know..not in the state to speak,. If you know what I mean," Nny muttered, his voice weak.  
  
"Sure," Devi said. She smiled at him. "You're funny, you know that, Nny? First you feel comfortable enough to try and kill me, and now you're so nervous you won't even sit without asking," she said after a moment.  
  
"Devi, I'll explain about why I tried to kill you. I will, um, later," Nny said.  
  
"Right," Devi said, finishing her tea, "In the morning,"  
  
Nny nodded slowly, too weak to be able to manage a very fast one. He finished his tea quickly; having something in his stomach felt good.  
  
"Are you tired?' Devi asked suddenly.  
  
"Well, yes," Nny murmured. Devi stood up and began to walk off, but she stopped and turned around.  
  
"Do you want my bed? I can sleep on the couch.." she began.  
  
"You mean you're letting me stay?" Nny asked in surprise.  
  
"Well duh. You had a paroxysm on the sidewalk a few hours ago, there's no way I'm letting you out there alone," Devi said.  
  
"OK. I'll take the couch. It's fine," Nny muttered. He didn't want to be more trouble than he was worth.  
  
"Alright," Devi said, disappearing again. She returned this time with a blanket and pillow, which she handed to Nny. He took them.  
  
"Thank you for letting me stay," Nny said timidly, avoiding her gaze.  
  
"That's fine," Devi said, turning to leave. Then she stopped and turned around once more. "Oh, and Nny?" she asked.  
  
"Yes?" Nny answered warily, sure she was going to give him a warning about attempting to kill her.  
  
"Goodnight," Devi answered, leaving the room noiselessly.  
  
"'Night," Nny whispered after her, covering himself up and lying down.  
  
In Devi's room she took her pigtails out, letting her chin length magenta-ish purple hair fall free. She sighed, considering locking her bedroom door but decided against it. Despite the fact that she was in the same house as a homicidal maniac, the very same one who had tried to murder her once previously, she didn't feel endangered. She slipped into her black silky pj pants, just leaving her black tank top on along with it.  
  
She got into bed and lay back on the black sheets to think before she allowed sleep to claim her. She remembered how terrified she'd been when she saw Nny lying there on the sidewalk, spitting his own blood. Not terrified of the blood though, terrified for Nny. She wondered if perhaps she was going insane.  
  
OK, now it seems all nice, but remember, it won't last forever. 


	3. the currently not named Third Chapter

Chapter Three:  
  
The next morning Nny woke on Devi's sofa. He was surprised he'd slept; he rarely slept. He didn't want to open his eyes. Perhaps he was on his own floor, or on his couch or bed, and seeing Devi again had only been one wonderful dream. He was afraid it had been. She'd been so nice to him. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes.  
  
He was indeed on Devi's sofa. It had all been real! It made him feel all fluffy inside. He hugged himself and stood up. He wandered into the kitchen. He went slowly, as he was still rather weak. It was brighter in the kitchen than in the rest of the apartment, because there was a window on the wall above the sink. He walked to the window, and looked out. There was some sort of field behind the apartment building. He could see a blooming lilac bush down in the field. It's blossoms were pale lavender, but the buds that had not yet bloomed were a deep, magenta-purple..the exact lovely color of Devi's hair. Devi..  
  
Nny was so lost in thoughts of Devi that he didn't notice that the real thing walked in a few seconds later. They looked at each other and jumped, startled. Devi remembered that Nny had stayed overnight, and calmed down.  
  
"Morning," she said, sitting down in one of the stools at the bar-style counter/table.  
  
"Morning," Nny answered back.  
  
"Sleep well?" Devi asked.  
  
"Yes," Nny said, "Your couch is very comfortable."  
  
Devi chuckled. "Haven't slept many decent places now, have you?" Devi asked. Nny shook his head.  
  
"Want something? I can make coffee," Devi said.  
  
"No thank you. I don't' really like coffee very much," Nny confessed.  
  
"Me either," Devi admitted.  
  
"Didn't think so," Nny said. Devi looked at him. He didn't look as weak as last night, but he still looked unhealthy. The dark circles under his eyes had faded a bit.  
  
"Would you like me to make some breakfast or something?" Devi asked.  
  
"Make yourself something. I don't really eat breakfast normally," Nny muttered, looking at his shoes.  
  
"Are you sure you don't want to eat anything? You really should keep your strength up, since you did have that whole seizure thing yesterday," Devi said, looking at him in a concerned way.  
  
"No thanks. I'll be fine. You're not my mother," Nny said, but he did not say it unkindly, "You're not my mother," he repeated, "Nobody is."  
  
"What?" Devi asked.  
  
"Nothing. I was just thinking.never mind. So, would you like me to explain that whole spaz thing?" Nny asked.  
  
"Sure," Devi said. She did not pry farther about what Nny had said. She had been able to see the pain in his eyes when he said it. It must have been something that had hurt him greatly when it happened.  
  
"Well..for most of my adult life, I've been possessed by something or other. And suddenly, this new voice showed up. Called Bloodman. He was cutting me down.I don't know..he was poisoning me. My heart, my soul, my body. He said something about..poisoning my every aspect. He kept making my throw up and have convulsions. So I ran away, and he made me have one while I was running," Nny said sadly. Devi looked at him in surprise. But she didn't say anything, though the whole thing was completely ludicrous. She didn't say anything about the insanity of the matter anyway.  
  
"So, why did you try to kill me?" she asked instead.  
  
"OK. You know how I said I was possessed?" Devi nodded, "was possessed by the doughboys back then. They went away, but when they were around what they did was make me...kill people. And then..on that date with you..after we came back to my place and you :blush: were going to kiss me, I ran into the bedroom, and they provoked me to try and kill you, so I gave in," Nny said quietly, looking ashamed. He was looking at the ground. Devi looked at him with sympathy. What she really wanted to ask was 'why did you run away when I tried to kiss you?', but she didn't. Instead she just looked at him. She remembered that fateful day perfectly.  
  
"I'm sorry," Nny said in a tiny, barely audible whisper. Devi looked at him carefully. There were tears in his eyes. All the good, friendly feelings there had been lingering in the air were gone, and replaced by uncomfortable feelings. Devi looked at Nny standing there, and finally she got up and walked over to him.  
  
"Nny? It's alright. It's fine. I forgive you and all that. It's OK," Devi said. Nny didn't respond. He looked so ashamed. Devi finally just gave in and yanked him into a steady clasp, hugging him gently. She held him close for a few minutes, and then released him. She smiled at him, and finally he gave her a small grin back.  
  
(notey: OK, now it gets weird because I was up all night having a sleepover and my friend was asleep so I sat there on a crate and stared at the basement walls for six hours, reading a little JTHM here & there and drawing a Senor Bagel comic 'til I passed out finally. I have a case of insomnia. And plus all I've had today was vanilla frozen yogurt and a freezy at the mall, so I'm a little woozy. Man I have unhealthy living habits. It's a good thing that freezy was only a dollar, or I wouldn't have been able to afford that and the yogurt, so I'd be really woozy. I'm pretty damn stupid for going to the mall with two dollars and a few nickels. I gotta get some help! Or maybe a job other than drawing comics and passing them around school for the amusement of the insane. I should charge money for those comics. Then I'd be rich. Yay! Wait, I don't like money. OK, on with da story!)  
  
Devi returned to her stool and Nny slumped into another.  
  
(Notey thingy: PS it's another day now. I didn't type anything in the story yesterday because just as I was about to, I got a call from an annoyed friend about a comic I was supposed to be finishing for the purpose of passing doses of insanity to a middle school's populace. You should see what cheerleaders do when they read MY comics. Tee hee. They aren't nice about it at all. This one girl, she read this one, and she looked at me like I was a maniac or something, and then she ran. Oh man I'm pathetic. But I thought it was funny. Hee!)  
  
They sat quietly, staring at each other for a few minutes. Nny looked at Devi closely. She didn't smile much. He could tell, because she didn't have little smile lines. No trace of them at all. Her eyes looked like they'd seen too many things in a short life, many things she'd rather not have seen. They'd shed a lot more tears than the eyes of a young woman should have shed, and witnessed more grief than was reasonable. They were green, and shining eyes, smiling eyes right now. But somewhere in their depths they were jaded and tired of opening every morning to the same old shit, never changing. Never improving. Same old downward spiral.  
  
"What are you looking at?" Devi asked. Nny realized he'd been staring and blushed.  
  
"You," he answered. There was an awkward hush, and then it was broken thankfully by a bang of the front door flying open.  
  
"Hey Dev, I'm gonna borrow these shoes, kay?" asked Tenna's voice from the living room. Tenna had a key to Devi's apartment.  
  
"OK then!" Devi yelled.  
  
"Thanks. See ya tonight!" Tenna yelled.  
  
"Yeah-" Devi began. "Oh shit! I forgot!" Devi went on.  
  
"Forgot what?" Nny asked.  
  
Devi paused. "It's my birthday today, and every year my sisters and Tenna come over for awhile. No big thing. Sorry I forgot to mention it. Is that going to bother you?" Devi asked.  
  
"No. I had no idea it was your birthday. I'll go out while they're here and get you something, so I won't be in the way," Nny said.  
  
"No. I don't want anything. I never let anybody get me anything," Devi said.  
  
"Then I'll go somewhere I and-"  
  
"Oh come on. Stick around. It would be fun to have you there. We are friends after all," Devi said.  
  
"Yeah. I guess we are. OK I'll stay," Nny said. It felt good to be wanted. It was strange. A week ago, Devi would have given anything to get away from him, and now she wanted his company.  
  
Devi went into her room and put on her usual purple cargo pants and boots, not bothering with pigtails.  
  
*/*/* That evening, Tenna showed up first, and then Devi's sisters. There were two of them. One with blond hair the same length as Devi's and the other had shoulder length electric blue hair. They were both wearing black clothing of some method. And the blond one had black lipstick. They both shared Devi's facial features very similarly, especially the eyes. Except there was really no pain hidden in theirs.  
  
Tenna noticed Nny first. He was sitting on the sofa looking at the newly arrived guests.  
  
"Ooh Devi, who's that?" Tenna asked in a very giddy and schoolgirlish way. Devi rolled her eyes at her in disgust.  
  
"That's Johnny-" Devi began.  
  
"Is he your boyfr-"  
  
"He's my friend," Devi said, smiling at Nny.  
  
Devi's sisters turned out to be named Deva (the blond one, and that be my penname for books and songs!) and Nakeema (the blue-haired one). They were very friendly, and reminded Nny of Devi in many ways. Devi ran and got some soda out of the fridge and they all chatted for a while. Nny kept mostly silent at first, but then gained a sense of belonging and started answering questions. They all seemed to like him pretty well, and he got along with them. Strange, they hadn't even insulted him about his appearance. They didn't seem to care how he looked.  
  
After they ran out of things to talk about, Nakeema and Tenna (who seemed to be the more outgoing of the group; Deva following more along the lines of Devi's personality) suggested that they go clubbing. Nakeema seemed to know of a good one with a great dance floor (Tenna squealed in delight), and in the end even Deva (who seemed a bit shy and not fond of being in public) agreed. They asked Nny if he wanted to go, and he'd never really gone to on any ventures such as that in a while, so in the end he agreed also. On the car ride there, Tenna and Nakeema talked about which songs they hoped would get played. Devi chatted with Nny about general things, and Deva was silent, looking though as if she were thinking instead of just sitting doing nothing.  
  
"Deva sure doesn't talk much," Devi noted, "She's a writer, so she's always thinking of what's going into a book next. Her books are pretty good."  
  
The club was large and noisy, and thank mushrooms a no-smoking zone. Nny hated the smell of cigarettes. (I think smoking is a vile practice, because I have to live with my dad smoking. So none of my characters smoke, and it's a good thing Nny doesn't either. Public service announcement: smoking is dangerous to your health. I don't need to be a surgeon general to tell 'ya that) Tenna began immediately whooping at the sound of the music, and squeaking Spooky with enthusiasm. Devi glared at the despised toy. Tenna went out to dance before they even ordered drinks. Everyone ordered sodas, Tenna with persuasion (another PSA; drinking alcohol is baaaaaaaaaad!). And then went out to dance. After some argument they left Nny at the table, since he had no clue how to dance.  
  
"We'll come back for ya though! You won't get away with not dancing forever!" Tenna whooped, giving Spooky an energetic peep over her head as she was swallowed by the pulsing crowd.  
  
"Are you sure you don't want to come?" Devi asked hesitantly.  
  
"Yes," Nny said decisively, placing his elbows on the table and resting his chin on his fists.  
  
"Alright, but you have to promise me you'll dance once," Devi said.  
  
"OK. What can it hurt?" Nny said with a sigh. Devi flashed him a thumbs up sign and reluctantly left after the rest of the company. She hadn't even wanted to drag him out of the house; he was still weak and looked paler than usual.  
  
When she was gone Nny sat alone and watched people dancing. He couldn't see Devi & co. anymore. He sat silently and wished he had something to do. He felt very lonely. He stared off into space vacantly.  
  
Devi and the others were dancing a small distance away. Devi wasn't concentrating very hard. She kept colliding with the others as she danced.  
  
"You're not paying much attention," Tenna scolded, squeaking Spooky in Devi's face. Devi glared at the black and white abomination of rubber.  
  
"I know. I guess I just feel bad about leaving him back there," Devi said, a trace of guilt in her voice.  
  
"Him? Who be him?" Tenna asked. Devi rolled her eyes.  
  
"Johnny," she said, emphasizing it.  
  
"Ohhhhhhhhh," Tenna said. Devi rolled her eyes. "So go and get him," Tenna said.  
  
"He doesn't want me to. He doesn't want to dance," Devi said.  
  
"So what? Make him," Tenna said.  
  
Devi rolled her eyes again. "I can't just-"  
  
"Sure 'ya can!"  
  
"Well, I'll just go talk to him," Devi said.  
  
"Yay!" Tenna said, giving Spooky a contented squeak. Devi glared at Spooky again before turning around and walking off.  
  
She reached the table where Nny was sitting in only a few seconds. The crowds gave way with little pushing. He looked up when she approached, though she made no noise as she came.  
  
"Hey," she said, sitting down.  
  
"Hello," Nny muttered.  
  
"Looks pretty boring, sitting here by yourself," Devi said.  
  
"it is," Nny said simply, "It gets lonely." Devi had the feeling he wasn't just talking about it getting lonely sitting by himself at this table in this place right now.  
  
"So ya want some company?" Devi asked.  
  
"Wouldn't hurt," Nny said. So Devi stayed . She started to hum along to the music. (the song was Smooth Criminal by A.A.F., yay! I love that song!) Nny looked at her. He wished he could stay like this forever, sitting near Devi with an unfinished silence between them, the unfinished ness of the silence meaning that nothing was over. He wanted to spend forever having things unfinished with her, because that always meant that something would come after. Nny was so lost in thought that he was unaware of the music around him, and suddenly he noticed that the song that played was slow, and Devi was looking at him, he could feel it.  
  
"Nny," she said so suddenly that he leaped into the air in surprise, "Do you...want to dance with me?" Devi asked.  
  
"Y-yes," Nny stuttered, his hands beginning to shake. Devi stood up, so he followed her.  
  
(notey thing: OK, I'm back! I have some Doritos and wild cherry Pepsi to keep me from passing out over the keys. I ate a full meal today too, so I'm pretty energetic. Some gender confused guy called me a faggot at lunch, and after school these pricks tripped me, and got all mean when I threatened to shove a knife up their leader's ass. Fuckers! Yeah, I'm a girl, yeah I'm yelling, get used to it! Arg! No wonder my paintings come out so morbid! Well, screw the fuckers! I never did anything to them. I haven't even laid eyes on them before! What morons! So caught p in the petty amusement of scorning others that they've sunken so low as to single out the individualists. Garg, it makes me so fucking mad! And I haven't had a freezy in over twenty five hours. I'm in bad shape. So depressed. I really hate to go on with the story when I'm in this mood, but I gotta. I sat around smiling in that one really comical bloodthirsty way at people all day as I stare at them over the rim of my notebook. It gets some pretty amusing results. Hee. And get this: people actually like my comics! Ha ha ha! How ignorant are they? My comics are shit! They have no point whatsoever! They're about talking food products sometimes for gravy's sake people! Arg! Hahahaha teenagers are so dense! And yes, I am one! Ha ha ha! Ok sorry. Enough banter. On with the shitty story! It starts looking like a sappy love story, but all that changes in the future. Just tryin to throw ya off with these almost random plot changes here, people. )  
  
Devi put her arms around his neck, and he put his around her waist (feeling very self-conscious), very gently, as though he was afraid she'd smack him, and they slowly began to sway to the music. Nny was unsure of himself at first, uncertainly avoiding her gaze. Devi seemed sure of herself; it was obvious that (unlike Nny) this wasn't her first slow dance. Tenna saw them across the floor and giggled in delight.  
  
"They look so cute," she said. Nakeema nodded in agreement.  
  
After a few minutes, Nny relaxed a little and became less rigid. He shyly met Devi's eyes. She smiled at him, and he almost fainted.  
  
***Every time I see you, then I start to breathe you, and I start drowning in myself. I know that you don't need me, and I know you try not to see me, but you can't escape the way your heart says you feel.  
  
Chorus: I know it sounds insane, I left you drowning in your pain. I remember the lonely nights, I wish that I could make it right. I don't know what to say, no one's ever made me feel this way. I don't know how I feel, my heart tells me you're real. I don't know what to do, I guess I'm falling for you.  
  
I'm starting to realize, when I look into your eyes, I just can't just give up on you, and everything you do. I feel like I could die, and nobody would cry. But I'm feeling things that I shouldn't feel.  
  
Chorus  
  
And I feel like a fool, drowning in you. I don't know the way the heart behaves. And every time I feel you, I start to need you, and when you look into my eyes I'm swept away.  
  
Chorus***  
  
Nny never wanted it to end. It was like one of those corny movies where the person's dreams all came true in the end (he hated those movies). He knew this wasn't exactly the end, but it still felt just like that. A few seconds passed, the song was over. Devi didn't move for a moment.  
  
"Well I suppose we'd better-" Devi began. A group of people pushed past on their way back from dancing and the crowd shoved against them, forcing them closer together, against each other. Nny's lips somehow became joined with Devi's cheek in the pushing mass, and he felt himself blushing. And then he surprised himself. As they were waiting for the crowd to stop shoving so they could step a relaxed distance apart, he kissed her cheek where his lips touched it.  
  
"Happy birthday, Devi," He whispered, his voice slightly muffled by her face. He could experience Devi's heart flutter against his own.  
  
"Thanks," she whispered back, her arms trembling around his neck. The crowd finally gave way, and they were able to push apart, both blushing furiously. Devi smiled coyly at him, and he tried to smile back but he could hardly breathe. He managed to crack a bashful almost grin. But he knew it looked like he was unwell. Devi tried not to laugh. He looked ridiculous.  
  
"What's funny?" Nny asked.  
  
"Oh nothing. Here, come on," Devi said, taking his arm and leading him back to the table where the other three were already sitting. As they sat down, Tenna cracked an impish smile at Devi.  
  
"What?" Devi asked. Tenna glanced from Devi to Johnny and made her eyebrows go up and down. Devi glared at her, and she shut up and gave Spooky a little shrill squeak under the table. *** 


	4. Sway

Chapter Four:  
  
Later that evening Devi's car pulled up in front of the hotel where her sisters were staying. They got out, and so did Devi and Tenna. Nny stayed put. Devi looked at him.  
  
"You want to come in? I'm just going to see them off, maybe make some plans for later," Devi said.  
  
"No thanks," Nny said. Devi shut the car door and she and the other girl headed off.  
  
"You and Johnny are a cute couple," Nakeema (AKA Keem to family members) said.  
  
"'Keem! Me and Johnny aren't a couple!" Devi muttered, annoyed.  
  
"Then how come you danced with him?" Deva asked, the first thing she'd said in a while, probably having been holed up in her mind searching for story ideas.  
  
"Didn't you ever dance with male friends?" Devi asked.  
  
"yeah," Deva admitted.  
  
"see," Devi said triumphantly.  
  
"Yeah, but still, you guys were getting pretty cozy back there," Tenna pointed out.  
  
"We got pushed-"  
  
"That's not what I meant. I meant...well Dev, you had 'that look' on your face," Tenna said.  
  
"Tenna! I don't want to..do you know what with him!"  
  
"Not THAT that look! The loveish type look!" Tenna said.  
  
"ohhhhhhhh. I..I did?"  
  
"Well duh. She did, huh guys?" Tenna said.  
  
"Yeah," Nakeema said.  
  
"What she said," Deva said absentmindedly.  
  
"See?" Tenna said victoriously.  
  
"But why would I have-"  
  
"Maybe you're in love with him."  
  
Devi just stared at Tenna for a second, and then burst into laugher.  
  
"Hey, maybe you are!" Tenna said huffily.  
  
"Yeah, and maybe a sheep will build an advanced civilization in my bedroom closet. Look Tenn, I don't-"  
  
"Well you're all nice to him and stuff, and he likes you too!" Tenna muttered.  
  
"No he-"  
  
"Sure he does. Were you totally blind to the way he was looking at you all evening practically?" Nakeema asked.  
  
"I didn't notice-"  
  
"Well he was. He was looking at you in that one way, the way that someone does when they keep quiet, but there's really something they want to say," Nakeema said. Devi looked at her like she was crazy.  
  
***Later that evening , Devi slumped down onto her couch beside Nny, they having just gotten back from dropping everybody off.  
  
"So, are you glad you came or what?" Devi asked.  
  
"Yeah. I suppose it was pretty fun," Nny said, grinning. Devi smiled.  
  
"Well, I'm tired. I'm going to bed," Devi said.  
  
"Kay," Nny said, lying back on the sofa.  
  
"Hey Nny, you want to come with me?"  
  
"Come with you?"  
  
"Yeah. I can't help but notice it's kind of cold tonight. My bed's pretty big. There's enough room," Devi said.  
  
"Er, OK sure," Nny muttered.  
  
In Devi's room, Nny lay down on the bed. It was pretty big, big enough for two people to lay a comfortable distance apart. Devi curled up next to him, much closer than she needed to be in such large space. She slipped her hand tenderly around his, smiling at him across the small gap between them.  
  
******My heart, your hands, gentle my friend. Break me neatly, numb me sweetly.  
  
Chorus: Say you would, say you could. Say you'd come and stop the rain. Say you'd try and hold me tight and you just give me away. Make me high on lullabies, a melody for me to sway. Say you would, say you could, and you don't do anything.  
  
Come down heavy, try and steady, precious ladies, love you, love me...  
  
Chorus  
  
Hold my head up to the lies that you feed me. I'll fall under the spell you cast as you let me down.  
  
Say you would, say you could. Say you'd come and stop the rain. Say you'd try and hold me tight and you just give me away. Make high on lullabies, a melody for me to sway. Make me high on lullabies a melody for me to sway.  
  
Chorus  
  
Say you'd come and stop the rain....**** 


	5. Dilemma

(sorry chapter four was so short. And just to let you know, Nny & Devi did not 'do anything' in the end of chapter four. I wanted to tell ya, 'Cause I let my friend Johnny read it and he's like "holy shit did they 'do it' in the end of that? Nasty!" They didn't. You can breathe again, Johnny)  
  
Chapter Five:  
  
*/*/*The next morning, Devi woke up to find Nny gone. He was already in the kitchen. She felt a little sad about today, because they'd agreed that Nny was going home today. He didn't want to, but he had to leave sometime. He was looking much better, and Devi thought he was well again. She went into the kitchen to find him sitting on a stool, staring off into space broodingly.  
  
"Morning," she said as she entered. Nny looked up. He smiled.  
  
"'Lo," he muttered throatily. He cleared his throat and repeated himself more clearly. He was beginning to enjoy thoroughly every second he spent with Devi, and it made him a little regretful to think that he only had a few more hours with her.  
  
Devi didn't want him to leave. She'd never imagined she'd actually come to enjoy his company and want him around. It was just like the times when she'd talked to him at the bookstore. Every day doing her job as usual, but secretly hoping he'd show. And then abandoning everything else (and sometimes it seemed her mind along with it) to talk to him when he did. And then they'd talk for hours about anything in particular. Just enjoying each other's companionship, and she remembered how excited she'd been after they'd arranged a date after knowing each other for a few months. And then she also remembered when it had all fallen apart.  
  
*/*/* A while later, Nny was starting out the door of the apartment for home. It was time for goodbyes.  
  
"Bye Devi. Thank you for letting me stay with you," Nny said.  
  
"No problem. So.I'll see you later then."  
  
"Yes, later," Nny said, and turned and walked away. Suddenly he heard that voice. Bloodman.  
  
"Hello, Johnny," came the sneering voice, and then he felt the by now familiar pain. He fell to the floor, screaming, coughing blood again. He then suddenly he stopped writhing and went still, though the pain was still coursing through him. He was limp. He had been paralyzed. He could hear Devi approaching.  
  
"Oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit Nny can you hear me?" she asked. Nny's eyes flickered over her. "It's OK. Let's get out of this hallway," Devi said, a sense of urgency in her voice. She picked him up off the ground in her arms. He was surprisingly light, almost as though he didn't eat anything.  
  
Once back inside her apartment, Devi lay Nny gently on the couch.  
  
"Oh this is bad," she muttered. She sounded terrified. She came to the conclusion that there was nothing she could do but wait for motion to return to Nny, so she sank to the sofa beside him and held him close. "Are you going to be alright?" she asked, apprehensive. Nny wanted to say he'd be OK and he wanted to tell her not to worry, except for the pesky fact that he couldn't move. So he lay there in her arms and willed his sense of movement to come back. Devi leaned down and kissed his forehead gently. He could feel himself blushing and couldn't do anything to hide it, though he tried to move his arms. "Oh. Heh. Sorry," Devi muttered, realizing what she had done, her cheeks reddening also. Nny tried to say it was fine, that he didn't care if she kissed him any old time she wanted to, but he couldn't move his face to speak and he wouldn't be able to find the guts to say that even if he could verbalize.  
  
*/*/* A little while later Nny woke up. He must have fallen asleep, since he was waking up. Devi still lay beside him, her arms around him. He could feel her cheek against his, and her breath ruffling his hair. He cautiously moved his finger, and it worked. He felt terribly sore all over from the spasm, and he remembered the horribleness of it all. He flexed his arm a bit, and it moved with little resistance. He sighed in relief, glad that there was no high priority damage as far as he could tell so far.  
  
"Devi?" he whispered. She was asleep. "Devi?" he whispered again.  
  
"Hm..wuh?" she asked, waking up a little.  
  
"I think I'm OK," Nny muttered.  
  
"That's good," Devi whispered sleepily, still only half awake. She gave him a little kiss on the lips and then slowly sat up. Nny blushed like mad. Devi stretched. She shook her head around to wake herself up. Nny sat up also, after a moment.  
  
"I'm glad you're feeling okay," Devi said with a smile.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"I think I had another convulsion," Nny said.  
  
"That was scary. I mean-you were lying there coughing up a bunch of your own blood. I thought...I thought you were going to give up the ghost," Devi said.  
  
"So did I at first. That was even worse than the others," Nny said, looking at the floor. Now it was clear that if he left Devi's protection he was vulnerable again to Bloodman's control. He couldn't escape unless he was with her. It was like she was his own personal guardian.  
  
"it looked pretty bad. Are you afraid you're going to have another one?" Devi asked.  
  
"Not when I'm with you."  
  
"Flattering."  
  
"No seriously. You make me feel...I don't know what it is," Nny said clumsily.  
  
"You don't?" Devi asked.  
  
"No. Well...maybe I do. I think I...I think I lo-" Nny began, and then suddenly his face went into a look of intense torture. "ah!" he gasped, sliding to the floor. Another seizure? But he wasn't out of Devi's house. How could this be happening? He again began to cough up blood, and Devi shrieked.  
  
"Oh not again!" she said, fear in her voice.  
  
"Ha. You thought you were safe in your little girlfriend's house? Well, I can get you, and I will. She cares for you, and it's harder to torture you when you're with her. But I can manage. You have to leave, or I'll attack her too. I'm going to kill you, and if you resist I'll kill her too! I'll kill her I swear!" Bloodman's voice screamed inside Nny's head.  
  
"How will you kill me?" Nny asked inside his head.  
  
"The same way I have been for weeks! I'm poisoning you, Nny! It's slow, but I can't attack you with my bare hands for I have none. I am merely a voice, but I have weapons of torture at my command! I will keep giving you seizures until you are dead! I will, I swear! I won't let you live!" Bloodman screamed. And then the pain intensified, heaping on like countless mountains of knives. He screamed at the top of his voice, blood pouring out of his mouth. Devi was staring at him in horror. The pain grew worse and worse, and Nny thought he was going to die. Bloodman's laughter rang mercilessly through his head, the pain was at the point where Nny wanted to die, and then it stopped.  
  
Nny lay still for a few moments before sitting up slowly and shakily. Devi looked scared stiff. Nny wiped the blood from around his mouth. He looked at the large bloodstain on the rug.  
  
"Sorry about that," Nny said, gesturing to the rug.  
  
Stop thinking about the rug. Shit Nny, are you alright?" Devi asked.  
  
"Fine. Fine."  
  
"That's two in one day, Nny. I'm getting worried. Maybe you should go to a hospital," Devi said.  
  
"No. I'm fine," Nny said, trying to shake off the throbbing pain caused by heaving up the blood. Devi didn't believe him. He could tell.  
  
"You look terrible," Devi said.  
  
"Well thanks," Nny said sarcastically, trying to joke.  
  
"Seriously. You look like you're about to keel over or something," Devi said.  
  
"I said I'm fine."  
  
"OK. Whatever you say. Look, I'm going to go work on my long-neglected painting, OK? You just...just try and sleep while I'm in there. I'd let you watch TV but somebody came in and stole it last month," Devi said, leaving the room. Nny waited 'til she was gone, and then took something out of his pocket. A necklace.  
  
It had been his mother's. (it's gonna take forever to describe it so you get the image right, but you'd actually have to look at it to see how beautiful it is in real life. But you'll get the general picture if I do my job right.)  
  
It had a silver chain. About halfway down both sides of the chain a pattern of gems started. First there was a tiny bead of ruby, and then below that there was a ruby set into a little charm, and this pattern repeated itself several times. Then there was a large woven patterned charm with a red metal rose in the center. Hanging from the bottom of the rose charm were three strands of little red ruby beads, the center one having one of the previously mentioned charms with the ruby in it on the end.  
  
The whole necklace was beautiful. Nny carried it everywhere in his pocket, a little reminder of his mother. How she'd been killed. He could feel tears threatening to come, so he swallowed them and stared at the necklace.  
  
He looked at it hard and long, and made the hardest decision of his life. He had to keep Devi safe, no matter how much it hurt him. No matter if it meant he'd never see her again. His emotions meant so much less than her safety that it wasn't even funny. He lay there and tried to soak up the happiness he felt here, to bring out for later use when he felt all alone.  
  
*/*/*The next morning, Devi woke up to find Nny gone. He was already in the kitchen. She felt a little sad about today, because they'd agreed that Nny was going home today. He didn't want to, but he had to leave sometime. He was looking much better, and Devi thought he was well again. She went into the kitchen to find him sitting on a stool, staring off into space broodingly.  
  
"Morning," she said as she entered. Nny looked up. He smiled.  
  
"'Lo," he muttered throatily. He cleared his throat and repeated himself more clearly. He was beginning to enjoy thoroughly every second he spent with Devi, and it made him a little regretful to think that he only had a few more hours with her.  
  
Devi didn't want him to leave. She'd never imagined she'd actually come to enjoy his company and want him around. It was just like the times when she'd talked to him at the bookstore. Every day doing her job as usual, but secretly hoping he'd show. And then abandoning everything else (and sometimes it seemed her mind along with it) to talk to him when he did. And then they'd talk for hours about anything in particular. Just enjoying each other's companionship, and she remembered how excited she'd been after they'd arranged a date after knowing each other for a few months. And then she also remembered when it had all fallen apart.  
  
*/*/* A while later, Nny was starting out the door of the apartment for home. It was time for goodbyes.  
  
"Bye Devi. Thank you for letting me stay with you," Nny said.  
  
"No problem. So.I'll see you later then."  
  
"Yes, later," Nny said, and turned and walked away. Suddenly he heard that voice. Bloodman.  
  
"Hello, Johnny," came the sneering voice, and then he felt the by now familiar pain. He fell to the floor, screaming, coughing blood again. He then suddenly he stopped writhing and went still, though the pain was still coursing through him. He was limp. He had been paralyzed. He could hear Devi approaching.  
  
"Oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit Nny can you hear me?" she asked. Nny's eyes flickered over her. "It's OK. Let's get out of this hallway," Devi said, a sense of urgency in her voice. She picked him up off the ground in her arms. He was surprisingly light, almost as though he didn't eat anything.  
  
Once back inside her apartment, Devi lay Nny gently on the couch.  
  
"Oh this is bad," she muttered. She sounded terrified. She came to the conclusion that there was nothing she could do but wait for motion to return to Nny, so she sank to the sofa beside him and held him close. "Are you going to be alright?" she asked, apprehensive. Nny wanted to say he'd be OK and he wanted to tell her not to worry, except for the pesky fact that he couldn't move. So he lay there in her arms and willed his sense of movement to come back. Devi leaned down and kissed his forehead gently. He could feel himself blushing and couldn't do anything to hide it, though he tried to move his arms. "Oh. Heh. Sorry," Devi muttered, realizing what she had done, her cheeks reddening also. Nny tried to say it was fine, that he didn't care if she kissed him any old time she wanted to, but he couldn't move his face to speak and he wouldn't be able to find the guts to say that even if he could verbalize.  
  
*/*/* A little while later Nny woke up. He must have fallen asleep, since he was waking up. Devi still lay beside him, her arms around him. He could feel her cheek against his, and her breath ruffling his hair. He cautiously moved his finger, and it worked. He felt terribly sore all over from the spasm, and he remembered the horribleness of it all. He flexed his arm a bit, and it moved with little resistance. He sighed in relief, glad that there was no high priority damage as far as he could tell so far.  
  
"Devi?" he whispered. She was asleep. "Devi?" he whispered again.  
  
"Hm..wuh?" she asked, waking up a little.  
  
"I think I'm OK," Nny muttered.  
  
"That's good," Devi whispered sleepily, still only half awake. She gave him a little kiss on the lips and then slowly sat up. Nny blushed like mad. Devi stretched. She shook her head around to wake herself up. Nny sat up also, after a moment.  
  
"I'm glad you're feeling okay," Devi said with a smile.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"I think I had another convulsion," Nny said.  
  
"That was scary. I mean-you were lying there coughing up a bunch of your own blood. I thought...I thought you were going to give up the ghost," Devi said.  
  
"So did I at first. That was even worse than the others," Nny said, looking at the floor. Now it was clear that if he left Devi's protection he was vulnerable again to Bloodman's control. He couldn't escape unless he was with her. It was like she was his own personal guardian.  
  
"it looked pretty bad. Are you afraid you're going to have another one?" Devi asked.  
  
"Not when I'm with you."  
  
"Flattering."  
  
"No seriously. You make me feel...I don't know what it is," Nny said clumsily.  
  
"You don't?" Devi asked.  
  
"No. Well...maybe I do. I think I...I think I lo-" Nny began, and then suddenly his face went into a look of intense torture. "ah!" he gasped, sliding to the floor. Another seizure? But he wasn't out of Devi's house. How could this be happening? He again began to cough up blood, and Devi shrieked.  
  
"Oh not again!" she said, fear in her voice.  
  
"Ha. You thought you were safe in your little girlfriend's house? Well, I can get you, and I will. She cares for you, and it's harder to torture you when you're with her. But I can manage. You have to leave, or I'll attack her too. I'm going to kill you, and if you resist I'll kill her too! I'll kill her I swear!" Bloodman's voice screamed inside Nny's head.  
  
"How will you kill me?" Nny asked inside his head.  
  
"The same way I have been for weeks! I'm poisoning you, Nny! It's slow, but I can't attack you with my bare hands for I have none. I am merely a voice, but I have weapons of torture at my command! I will keep giving you seizures until you are dead! I will, I swear! I won't let you live!" Bloodman screamed. And then the pain intensified, heaping on like countless mountains of knives. He screamed at the top of his voice, blood pouring out of his mouth. Devi was staring at him in horror. The pain grew worse and worse, and Nny thought he was going to die. Bloodman's laughter rang mercilessly through his head, the pain was at the point where Nny wanted to die, and then it stopped.  
  
Nny lay still for a few moments before sitting up slowly and shakily. Devi looked scared stiff. Nny wiped the blood from around his mouth. He looked at the large bloodstain on the rug.  
  
"Sorry about that," Nny said, gesturing to the rug.  
  
Stop thinking about the rug. Shit Nny, are you alright?" Devi asked.  
  
"Fine. Fine."  
  
"That's two in one day, Nny. I'm getting worried. Maybe you should go to a hospital," Devi said.  
  
"No. I'm fine," Nny said, trying to shake off the throbbing pain caused by heaving up the blood. Devi didn't believe him. He could tell.  
  
"You look terrible," Devi said.  
  
"Well thanks," Nny said sarcastically, trying to joke.  
  
"Seriously. You look like you're about to keel over or something," Devi said.  
  
"I said I'm fine."  
  
"OK. Whatever you say. Look, I'm going to go work on my long-neglected painting, OK? You just...just try and sleep while I'm in there. I'd let you watch TV but somebody came in and stole it last month," Devi said, leaving the room. Nny waited 'til she was gone, and then took something out of his pocket. A necklace.  
  
It had been his mother's. (it's gonna take forever to describe it so you get the image right, but you'd actually have to look at it to see how beautiful it is in real life. But you'll get the general picture if I do my job right.)  
  
It had a silver chain. About halfway down both sides of the chain a pattern of gems started. First there was a tiny bead of ruby, and then below that there was a ruby set into a little charm, and this pattern repeated itself several times. Then there was a large woven patterned charm with a red metal rose in the center. Hanging from the bottom of the rose charm were three strands of little red ruby beads, the center one having one of the previously mentioned charms with the ruby in it on the end.  
  
The whole necklace was beautiful. Nny carried it everywhere in his pocket, a little reminder of his mother. How she'd been killed. He could feel tears threatening to come, so he swallowed them and stared at the necklace.  
  
He looked at it hard and long, and made the hardest decision of his life. He had to keep Devi safe, no matter how much it hurt him. No matter if it meant he'd never see her again. His emotions meant so much less than her safety that it wasn't even funny. He lay there and tried to soak up the happiness he felt here, to bring out for later use when he felt all alone. 


	6. the not yet named sixth chapter

Chapter Six:  
  
*/*/* Later that day Nny woke up from a sleep. He yawned, stretched, and patted his pocket where a small lump resided.  
  
It was near evening when Devi came out of her art studio, her face smeared with blood-red paint. She sat down beside Nny on the sofa with a sigh. She straightened her pigtails and leaned against the back of the couch tiredly. She yawned and closed her jaded eyes. Nny looked at her for a few moments.  
  
"Devi?" he whispered gently.  
  
"Yes?" Devi asked softly.  
  
"I have something for you," Nny said cautiously.  
  
"Hm?"  
  
Nny reached into his pocket and pulled out a small lump of black tissue paper, holding it out to Devi. She looked at it uncertainly.  
  
"It's for you," Nny said, handing it to her gently.  
  
"Seriously?"  
  
"Yes. Go ahead and open it."  
  
Devi slit the lenient black paper with her long thumbnail and when it fell open she stopped breathing for a moment; her breath caught in her chest.  
  
"Wow..Nny I.what...is it for me.I don't know what to say. Thank you," Devi tripped over her tongue. In the package was Nny's mother's necklace. The one with the rubies.  
  
"It's nothing," Nny said, trying not to go red in the face.  
  
"No it's not. I just..thanks. Thanks a lot Nny. I just can't believe..," Devi said, still struggling to find the words.  
  
"You're welcome, it's just something I wanted you to have," Nny said bashfully.  
  
Devi carefully fastened the necklace around her neck.  
  
"Nny I...it's so beautiful," Devi said, still dazed.  
  
"Not as beautiful as you," Nny said, blushing more than ever before. Devi looked at him in amazement.  
  
"You don't mean that, do you?" she asked.  
  
"Yes I do," Nny said timidly. Nny wasn't sure what exactly happened next, but suddenly he was enveloped in Devi's arms. She placed her fingertips on his chin and tipped his face up to hers, kissing his lips passionately. Nny was stunned and sat there limply until finally he planted his arms around her as well. It seemed never ending, and Nny wasn't sure how much time passed before Devi finally released him and slid back to her seat, breathing heavily. Nny gaped at her.  
  
"Whoa," Nny stammered after a few seconds. Devi blushed. "You've done that before, haven't you?" he added.  
  
"A few times. But not...like that," Devi said, embarrassed. Then there was a silence, Devi nervously fingering the necklace.  
  
"It was my mother's," Nny said after a while.  
  
"What was?" Devi asked.  
  
"The necklace."  
  
"Oh. Where is she?"  
  
"She's dead."  
  
"Oh. I..I'm sorry."  
  
"It's OK. It was a long time ago. I was ten."  
  
"What happened to her?" Devi asked, hoping it wouldn't hurt Nny too much to talk about it.  
  
"A homicidal maniac killed her. And my dad. I came home from school one day and they were both dead," Nny said sadly, looking at the floor.  
  
Devi was quiet for a moment. "Nny..the guy who killed your parents..it wasn't..you, was it?" Devi asked, hoping he wouldn't take offense.  
  
"No," Nny said softly, "It wasn't. I don't know who it was."  
  
"Oh. It's too bad."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Thank you for the necklace Nny..I love it a lot."  
  
"Don't mention it."  
  
Devi lay back on the sofa. "I think I'll stay with you tonight," she said.  
  
Nny nodded and lay beside her. She put her arms around him and he closed his eyes. There was a long silence, and suddenly Devi's whisper came out of the dark.  
  
"Nny?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I love you."  
  
Nny lay in shocked silence for a moment before he answered. "I love you too."  
  
Devi dropped off to sleep a few moments later. Nny didn't follow for a while, concentrating on the comfort of Devi's embrace, and wishing it didn't have to end so soon. Finally he let sleep take him, and dropped off to sleep full of dreams. 


	7. Walking Away

Chapter Seven:  
  
Later that night, Nny awoke. Devi was still sleeping, and he carefully slipped out of her arms without waking her. He wanted to stay forever, but if he did she would eventually get hurt. This was his battle against Bloodman, and he didn't want her to get involved. If he was going to die, he didn't want her to die too.  
  
Nny snuck into the other room, getting some things he placed under Devi's bed earlier. Then he came back. He placed a red rose in Devi's hand, and leaned down and kissed her lips softly.  
  
"I'll try to come back someday," he whispered. And then he left the room. He stopped by the kitchen and placed a note on the counter, a short note so that she wouldn't think he'd run away for no reason. And then he picked up his jacket off the chair by the front door in the living room, and after one last look back at Devi's sleeping form he unlocked and opened the door, and slipped out, locking it behind him.  
  
Nny stole out of the apartment and across dark streets, reaching house 777 in moments. He didn't go inside. He only leaped into his car. The keys were still in the ignition from the time he'd gone to get a brainfreezy a week ago. He started up the car, and drove away. He couldn't stay here. Devi would find him. He couldn't let her find him. She'd get hurt. He wouldn't let her get hurt. Not again. Especially not after all the pain she'd already gone through, all the pain he'd caused her. He didn't want her to get hurt anymore.  
  
Nny drove out to the hill overlooking the city. The sparkling lights were beautiful. The last time he'd been here was on his first date with Devi. It brought back painful memories. He wished more than anything that he was still back in her house, in her arms, unafraid. But now there was no one to protect him. He was only going to be here for a little while, until he was killed by more convulsions. He wanted to cry, wanted to return to Devi, wanted to see her again. But he couldn't. Until he died or Bloodman somehow gave up, Devi was in danger every second he was near her. He couldn't put her wellbeing at stake.  
  
He climbed out of his car and sat on the hood, pulling out his die-ary and pen. He began to scribble on a page.  
  
Dear Die-ary,  
I miss Devi tremendously. It feels like my heart is being ripped right out of my chest. Right now, I'd give anything to be able to see her again. But I can't. If I put her in danger, I'll never forgive myself. I can't believe I've gone and fallen in love with her. Even just loving her can endanger her. But I can't control my heart. It's become even more uncontrollable than my mind. And I find that arduous to accept as true. I fear I'll go insane if I can't see Devi again. But I can never see her again.  
  
*/*/*  
  
Devi awoke, and was aware of the absence of Johnny beside her. She sat up.  
  
"Nny?" she called.  
  
No answer.  
  
She went into the kitchen and switched on the light, looking around. She noticed a piece of paper on the counter, and picked it up. It said something on it.  
  
Devi, I trust you would understand where I went if you knew the full horrors of what drives me away. I can only say that it is for your safety that I leave. I still love you, but I can't put your life in jeopardy. I hope you won't forget me, but I hope you will go along with your life, and try to live it as full as possible. I know I won't forget you. You're an angel, if there is any word to describe you.  
  
-Nny  
  
Devi looked at the note in horror. Nny was gone. She knew that if he had left, he probably had a good reason, but she wasn't just going to let him leave. She had no idea where he had gone, but she had to go after him. She grabbed her coat.  
  
*/*/* On the overlook cliff thing, Nny sat on the hood of his car. The wind chilled him, and he hopped inside the car. He lay back in the driver's seat and closed his eyes.  
  
"Here I am. I'm ready. Just kill me. There's nothing to stop you now," he muttered. But no pain came. No more convulsions shook him. He kicked the glove box, frustrated. "Kill me!" he screamed, "Just get it over with! I'm ready!!!!!! NOW!"  
  
He heard the sound of a car driving up.  
  
"Oh no," he muttered. The car stopped near his, and turned off or whatever you call it when the car gets stopped.  
  
Somebody got out of the car. The dark figure walked over to Nny's car. Nny got ready to grab his knife out of the glove box where he'd been keeping it. His door opened and he looked up. Devi was standing outside of the car, staring at him. He had mixed feelings when he saw her there. Part of him was terrified for her safety, and wanted her to leave. But the other part of him was so relieved and overjoyed to see her again that he wanted to throw his arms around her.  
  
"Devi? How did you find me?" he asked.  
  
"I had a hunch. I remember this place. Our first date, remember"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Why did you leave?"  
  
"It's a long story. But it has to do with your safety, and I didn't want to put you in danger."  
  
"I don't care if I'm in danger. I just want to know why you left."  
  
"Devi, I can't tell you. It would take longer than I have. I don't have long. I just need you to understand that it's entirely for your protection. I don't want you to get hurt again."  
  
"What do you mean you don't have long?"  
  
"I..I have to leave."  
  
"Again?"  
  
"It's for the best. I need you to understand."  
  
"I'm not going to let you leave again."  
  
"I have to leave. Devi, if I stay with you, you're going to die."  
  
"I don't care."  
  
"what do you mean you don't care?"  
  
"I don't care if I die. I don't have anything left. I don't want you to leave again."  
  
"Devi, listen to me, I can't tell you why. You won't like it."  
  
"I have to know. Please?"  
  
"Alright. You won't like it, but I'll tell you. I'm going to die. I'm sort of being..possessed. If I stay with you, you'll get killed too. You're too important to be lost. I won't let you get killed too."  
  
"Johnny-"  
  
"No."  
  
Devi leaned forward and hugged him.  
  
"Devi don't. You're just going to make it harder for me to-"  
  
"I'm not going to lose you. You're the only thing I have left."  
  
"Devi, please get in the car. I need to talk to you."  
  
"Fine." Devi said, and climbed over Nny into the passenger seat.  
  
"Devi, I have to leave. I can't let you get hurt. I care about you too much to. Please understand what I'm saying," Nny said. Devi took several deep breaths. She was trying not to cry. She had to hold them back. She was strong enough not to cry. But she could barely keep the tears in. She leaned across the seat and slid her arms around him.  
  
"I can't let you go," she whispered. Nny closed his eyes. He didn't think he COULD leave her again. It might just tear his heart right out of his chest.  
  
*/*/* They didn't move for a long time, and Nny almost dozed off. Then he shook himself awake, and saw that Devi was sleeping again. He kissed her forehead.  
  
"Sleep well, Devi. Please forget all about me and go on with your life," he whispered. And then he got out of the car as quietly as he could. He took off his jacket and lay it over Devi. Then he shut the car door gently, making little sound. He set off on foot into the night. He looked over his shoulder, sad for what he was leaving behind. But he had to let her go. He couldn't endanger anyone else because of him.*/*/* 


	8. chapter 8 that i'm too lazy to name

Chapter Eight:  
  
Nny trudged out of town on foot. He took the highway out of the city, walking and thinking. It was dark, and cold. Nny shivered. He'd left his jacket with Devi. He walked past the border of town, and looked up at the clear black sky. The rough façade of the icy white and papery moon stared down at him like a giant eye above his head. It was eerie outside, the cold wind stirring the infrequent trees that Nny passed, making them seem alive. Ready to reach out and seize any passerby and pinch the life out of them. Nny hugged himself, trying to keep the chilly breeze off of his thin body as best he could. He shivered. He wished he didn't have to leave. He wanted to turn back. But there was mo turning back.  
  
*/*/* Hours later, Nny sat down on a curb and took out the small tattered notebook that was his die-ary. He took out his pen and turned to a clean page. Then he began to write.  
  
Dear die-ary,  
Some people spend their entire existence waiting for their delusions to be unveiled so they can go on with their pitiful reality and say that they were 'unaware' of their false perception, for the reason that this gives them an excuse to never have really lived. Am I reminiscent of this notion? I am becoming more and more confused over just what I 'am' these days, I used to be a homicidal maniac, that much I know. But what else am I? What was I before? And what will I be? Will I be cut down by the evil force that is taking over my life, or will I get another chance to see 'her' again? I wish somebody would stop driving and talk to me. I do feel lonesome. Loneliness is an alien emotion for me, since I have felt so little need, or want for that matter, to be near human organisms of my own free will. It's Devi. She woke me up within, made me real again. And now I must face my emotions. And I must say I don't like it one bit. I yearn for the old familiar emptiness that in the past filled my soul. Such hard times are these.  
  
*/*/* Devi awoke once more. She gave a startled jump when she realized she was in a car, one that was not her own. She then remembered what had happened, and looked around. It gave her little surprise to see that Nny had once again disappeared. He did that habitually. If he was going to try so hard to get away from her, she wasn't going to stop him. She was going to be heartbroken for a while, but she'd get over it. He was just a guy, right? Devi got into her own car and turned the key.  
  
When Devi reached her apartment later that night she slumped down onto the couch. She looked around her living room. Empty. Just like before Nny had showed up. When he'd been here there'd been something here, something beyond the fact that another person in the apartment. A different feel to the place, like maybe there could be something besides the life she knew. But now the feeling was gone, and there was only the old emptiness. She hadn't known it was emptiness until now. And it hurt. Devi lay down on the couch and stared at the ceiling. Never in her life had she felt so alone. She dropped off into a diluted sleep.  
  
*/*/* Nny stopped walking. He could walk no more, or his legs would give out underneath him. He sank to the curb again, resting. He dropped his head between his knees and sat there. It started to rain. He didn't notice. He was too busy with his emotional coldness.  
  
A long time had passed. Nny wasn't sure how long. He just was aware of the darkness, and then how it intensified. He felt his head hit the curb as he passed out. It was all black after that.  
  
Some time later, Nny awoke. He wasn't anywhere very warm, but it was dry and less cold than where he was before. He lay on something lumpy. He sat up. He was lying in some sort of cot. He was aware that wherever he was seemed to be moving. He could hear some people talking.  
  
"Where am I?" he called out. He looked around, realizing he was in the bunk area of a big rig truck. In the front there were two people in the seats. One turned around and looked at Nny. He was a thin man with blond hair and a blond mustache. He was some evening shadow growing around his chin. He was wearing a backwards hat.  
  
"Heya Paul, he's awake. I told 'ya he wuz' alive," he said.  
  
The other man turned around and glanced at Nny. He was slightly heavy with black hair and a clean shaven face. A passing car honked and he turned back to the road.  
  
"So you wuz' right. That don't mean nuth-in'," The man who was presumably Paul said.  
  
"So, you IS alive, right?" the blond man asked Nny.  
  
Nny stared at him. This man was obviously drunk. "Yesss," Nny said.  
  
"Knew it. Wussure' name? That there's Paul, & you can call me Zingo," she the blond man.  
  
"Johnny," Nny said simply.  
  
"OK," she Zingo, pronouncing it like uh-kay.  
  
"Er,. Paul, is...Zingo drunk?" Johnny asked.  
  
"No more drunk 'n me. OK, maybe he's a little high, but not 'nough to worry 'bout" Paul said with a chuckle.  
  
Johnny glanced around. "Why am I here?" Johnny asked.  
  
"Well, we saw you by 'da road. We though you 'wuz a dog or a sack of 'tatoes or 'sumthin, so we stopped. Then we sawed you 'wuz a dude, so we decided to do 'sumthin. Paul thought you 'wuz dead. But we couldn't jus' leave ya there. So we took ya in," Zingo said.  
  
"Oh. Well, thanks for taking my off the street," Nny said.  
  
" 'S what we do," said Paul  
  
Nny said nothing for a while. 


	9. Salvation

Chapter Nine:  
  
The next morning, Devi awoke. She felt sore all over. The apartment was very quiet. She got up and sadly went into her studio. She sat before the canvas for hours. Stared into the blank white for hours. But there was nothing there. She struggled for it, but it wouldn't come. She raised her brush, freshly dipped in red paint, above the canvas. But her hand couldn't move. Because there was no direction for it to move in. No matter which way it moved, it would still have the same result, a line of red on a stretch of white. So predictable. So simple. She threw the brush against the far wall in frustration. She dropped her head into her hands. She expected the voice of Sickness to say something. But there was only the silence. The old, dry, desolate silence. She gave a scream of despair, and it echoed off the lonely walls.  
  
It was a while later when Devi heard a 'thump thump thump thump, knock knock, whoosh, slam!' of someone entering her apartment. She paid no attention to it. She sat on the floor like she had so many times before. She stared at the wall. She heard thumping footsteps, a rubbery squeak, and then Tenna's voice call out a cheery 'hi'. But then there was silence.  
  
"Devi?" Tenna asked. She stared at her. This wasn't like Devi. Devi happened to be sitting on the floor, staring blankly at the wall. There were now-dry tear trails all down her face. She looked absolutely gloomy.  
  
"Uh, you OK?" Tenna asked, giving Spooky a squeak. Devi nodded, not trusting her voice. "OK. Hey, where's Johnny?" Tenna asked.  
  
"Oh god," Devi moaned, sinking to the floor, where she lay in the fetal position.  
  
"Um, I'm guessing something bad happened?" Tenna asked.  
  
"Oh, that's an understatement," Devi muttered.  
  
"So, ya wanna tell me about it? Talk to Spooky," Tenna said.  
  
"Tenna, he left. He just..oh shit I'm just going to make myself cry again. But he said he had to. He left twice. And then I couldn't follow him. I know it shouldn't depress me so much. But I have no idea where he went and..oh fuck I love him Tenna!" Devi said.  
  
"So that's bad?"  
  
"Yyyes."  
  
"Which part's bad? Him leaving or you loving him?"  
  
"Both."  
  
"Oh. Me & Spooky 'r sorry that happened."  
  
"I know. I'm not supposed to love him. It's completely going against nature with this. Him and me together is like...a painting made with beans. Not right at all. Just..not natural, but you want it to work."  
  
"That might work."  
  
"What?"  
  
"A painting with beans."  
  
"Tenna, that's completely off the subject."  
  
"So? I like that idea. Maybe I'll try it."  
  
"Arg!"  
  
"What?" Tenna asked, unaware of the frustration she was causing.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"You want me to go for a while?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Can I come back in an hour."  
  
"I don't care." Devi muttered.  
  
Tenna left.  
  
Devi sat up. She brushed the floor crud off of her shirt. She wiped her face off on a rag she used for painting. Collecting herself, she looked around the room.  
  
"OK, I'm gonna be fine. I'm, not gonna cry..I'm not gonna cry..I'm not gonna cry I...Oh shit Nny why did you have to leave!?" Devi screamed. She lay back down on the floor again and tried to contain herself. "Fuck I'm insane. In here screaming over a guy. And It's not the first time. I'm through. Most of them don't deserve it. Well, fuck men. I'm giving them up. I'm gonna..die a fucking hermit!" Devi screamed at the top of her lungs.  
  
"Shut up!!!" screamed the psychic lady downstairs.  
  
"Shut up yourself!!!! Quit fucking yelling your fucking head off a me all the fucking time!!!!" Devi screamed back.  
  
"PLEASE go for a ride in an airplane! Just die in the plane crash already!!" screamed the psychic lady.  
  
"Fuck you!" Devi screamed. She got up and left the room, going into the living room. She looked around. On the floor beside the sofa lay a slightly wilted red rose. "Oh Johnny why!?" Devi yelled. She started to cry again, sinking back to the floor.  
  
*/*/* On the road, Nny sat in the third front seat with Zingo and Paul. The two were a couple of free spirits who spent all their lives on the road. Paul liked classical music, and Zingo liked beer. They liked stopping at restaurants and getting burgers all the time. That was about it. Right now they were shipping a gondola of tomatoes to New Mexico. It was their longest trip yet. They'd invited Johnny to come along the whole way, but he'd refused. He had places to go, places that he wasn't sure where they were exactly. But he had somewhere to go.  
  
*/*/* Back at Devi's apartment, Tenna entered the living room cautiously, squeaking Spooky in front of her before she entered.  
  
"Devi?" she asked, looking around. Devi answered with only a low moan.  
  
Devi lay on the floor. Her face was tearstained and her eyes empty. She sniffled and sat up.  
  
"Wow." Tenna said.  
  
"What? Gawking at my misery?" Devi snapped.  
  
"Whoa, settle down. You just kinda...I've never seen ya fall apart like this before," Tenna said.  
  
"Yeah. Well wadaya know, I did," Devi said.  
  
"So, I'm taking it Johnny left without saying goodbye?"  
  
"Not exactly. But.I just expected him to stick around longer. I fall in love with him, and he just.stays for two days and leaves. That's just weird."  
  
"Maybe he had a reason. Hey, he was in your house for two days, right?"  
  
"Yeah. So?"  
  
"So.he was here at night?"  
  
"Tenna-"  
  
"So did you..you know..do him?"  
  
"Tenna!"  
  
"Well, did you?"  
  
"No! What do you think I am, some kind of nymphomaniac?"  
  
"No but I thought..he was in your house at NIGHT and you didn't..."  
  
"Of course I didn't."  
  
"So are you a...a virgin?"  
  
"Let's not go into the subject right now." Devi said in a closed manner.  
  
"Ooh, I knew it! You are one!"  
  
"I just never-"  
  
"How do you live?" Tenna asked, her mouth hanging open.  
  
"Get out!"  
  
"But-"  
  
"OUT!" Devi roared.  
  
"OK OK I'm going," Tenna said, making a run for it. Devi heaved a sigh and lay back down.  
  
Later that night, Devi sat up again. She wiped her face dry of the tears and went back into her studio. Still she could paint nothing. She lay down.  
  
"What's wrong with me?" she asked softly into the emptiness.  
  
"You fell in love with someone who you are destined to be far away from," Sickness's voice said from across the room.  
  
"But why? Why did I? What's so wrong with me that I had to fall in love with him again?"  
  
"For one, you are insane. For another thing, love is not something which is to be controlled."  
  
"I guess not. But.I miss him now."  
  
"There is no sense in lying on the floor like a child, crying your eyes out and doing nothing to stop the pain. Have you done nothing to get him back? Have you gone after him? You have not. So there is no reason to cry when there are things you can do about it."  
  
"Like what, for instance?"  
  
"Go after him you idiot."  
  
"But I tried. He said-"  
  
"Should you give a shit what he said?"  
  
"I-"  
  
"Oh for heaven's sake bitch just go and get him," Sickness said, aggravated.  
  
*/*/* It was a while later when Zingo and Paul's rig stopped in front of a hazy field and the door opened.  
  
"You sure this is where you wanna be?" asked Paul.  
  
"Yes. It's exactly the place," Nny said. He hopped out of the truck.  
  
"You need anything, you give us a call," Zingo said, tossing Johnny a sandwich through the window. He caught it.  
  
"Thanks. I will," Nny said, nodding to them. The rig drove off, leaving Nny alone in the fog. He sighed and started walking, munching on the sandwich. A few minutes later he reached the center of the field. He sat down in the dewy grass and yawned.  
  
*/*/* Devi's car zoomed well over the speed limit after she left town. She sped along, humming along to the radio, now and then singing a line out loud.  
  
*** Making my way downtown, waking fast, faces pass and I'm homebound. Staring blankly ahead making my way, making a way through the crowd.  
  
And I need you, and I miss you. And now I wonder..  
  
Chorus: If I could fall into the sky, do you think time would pass me by. 'Cause you know I'd walk a thousand miles if I could just see you tonight.  
  
It's always times like these when I think of you and I wonder if you ever think of me. 'Cause everything's so wrong and I don't belong living in your precious memory.  
  
'Cause I need you, and I miss you. And now I wonder...  
  
Chorus  
  
I,I don't wanna let you know. I, I drown in your memory. I, I don't wanna let this go. I, I don't...  
  
Making my way downtown, walking fast, faces pass and I'm homebound. Staring blankly ahead, just making my way, making a way through the crowd.  
  
And I still need you. And I still miss you. And now I wonder...  
  
If I could fall into the sky, do you think time would pass me by. 'Cause you know I'd walk a thousand miles if I could just see you....If I could fall into the sky, do you think time would pass me by, 'cause you know I'd walk a thousand miles if I could just see you. If I could just hold you.tonight.***  
  
*/*/* Nny sat up in the middle of the field. He was all alone. It was getting foggy. He sat quietly in the dewy grass. The sun was starting to rise. Suddenly, he convulsed and threw up in the grass. He gagged on his own vomit and spit in the grass. He coughed, and blood came up. He shook. He shook harder, the feeling getting worse and worse. He fell into the grass and shook violently, a flow of more blood passing his lips.  
  
*/*/* Devi drove as fast as her car would go, almost hitting a stop sign and several dogs. She finally paused in a small turn off and got out of her car, looking around at the first lighted landscape. Ahead of her, there was a field. Some strong force told her to enter the field, and she grumbled.  
  
"Last time I listened to my intuition I got knives pulled out on me," she muttered, but started across the field anyway.  
  
Partway across she saw a large lump on the ground. As she approached it, she wondered what it was. And suddenly she noticed that the lump was twitching. And suddenly she heard a heaving noise. And as she got closer, she realized it was alive.  
  
"What the-?" Devi asked. She knelt beside the lump, and gasped. "Johnny."  
  
The lump quivered.  
  
"Are you OK?" Devi asked. The lump quivered again.  
  
Johnny moaned. And then he convulsed again. He coughed up a little more blood.  
  
"Oh shit! Nny you weren't joking!" Devi said. She touched his forehead. He continued to tremble violently. "Come on. Let's get you out of here," Devi said. Nny shook his head lightly.  
  
"No. remember. You'll get hurt-leave! Get out of here! Devi quick. You don't know-" Nny said shakily.  
  
"I'm not going to leave you here."  
  
And suddenly Devi heard a voice from somewhere behind her. Or somewhere around her. It came from nowhere and everywhere at the same time.  
  
"Foolish girl! You are only putting yourself on death row by trying to save the boy! Leave him! He belongs to me now!" the voice of Bloodman said maliciously.  
  
"Who are you?" Devi asked, glancing around wildly.  
  
"That is not important!" said the voice.  
  
"Leave Johnny alone!" Devi snarled.  
  
"I don't think so. Why would you care? He matters to no one! He has nothing left! No one cares about Johnny C.!"  
  
"He matters to me! I care about Johnny, and guess what?! I love him! I tried to tell myself I didn't, but I do. I love him! So just leave him alone!" Devi yelled.  
  
"After all he did to you!? After all the pain he caused you? After he tried to kill you? After how the thought of him drove you to tears of rage, and now you love him? Can love be so blind as to cause you to overlook all of the bad memories, the sleepless nights?"  
  
"I don't care about all that anymore, whoever you are! I don't know why, I don't know how. All I know is that I love him! That should be good enough for anyone!" Devi said.  
  
"Whatever! Now he dies!" Bloodman's voice screamed. And then Nny felt the familiar pain of Bloodman's wrath. He screamed. "If you have something to say to him, say it now! It's only a matter of time before he is dead and I rule!" Bloodman yelled. Johnny lay on the ground, twitching.  
  
"Hang on Nny! It's going to be OK!" Devi yelled. She didn't know what to do, and she wasn't exactly even in control of her next action. "I love you Nny," she said. She brushed the blood from his lips and kissed him fervently.  
  
It seemed like everything was spinning, and the world was being torn apart. And then it was silent. Devi sat up, looking around the dark field. "Nny?" she asked, looking down at the lump beside her.  
  
Nny groaned. "Wuh?" he asked.  
  
"are you OK?" Devi asked him.  
  
"I think so," Nny said, sitting up precariously and glancing around. "What happened?"  
  
"I don't know. I think that voice-it's gone," Devi said.  
  
"He's gone?"  
  
"Yes. I think so."  
  
"Then I'm free." Nny said, looking up at the sky. He reached up and wiped the blood from his face.  
  
"I guess so," Devi said. Nny brushed the dirt off of himself. Devi smiled at him. "So I guess you're not gonna have any more spasms, and not be any more danger..so you won't have to stay with me anymore," Devi said.  
  
"I supposed so."  
  
"Unless you...wanted to stay with me...just in case something else happened to you..I wouldn't mind," Devi said.  
  
"Yeah.just in case, I guess I could come stay with you sometimes " Nny said.  
  
"I really do love you Nny, you know that right?"  
  
"Yes. Same here."  
  
"I still don't know why. But that doesn't really matter, right?"  
  
"I guess not."  
  
"Come on. Let's get out of here."  
  
"Kay."  
  
They left the field and Devi dropped Nny off at his house. Then she went home. 


	10. Filling In the Blanks

Chapter Ten:  
  
A few nights later, Devi was in her room getting dressed. She'd told Nny she'd be ready when he came to pick her up. She opened her bedroom closet, and gasped. (remember an earlier joke for this part, see chapter four, I think it was)  
  
Inside was a sheep. And there were many buildings also. A whole advanced civilization.  
  
"Whoa, a sheep built an advanced civilization in my bedroom closet!" Devi muttered in awe.  
  
THE END!  
  
. 


	11. The Final Word

I'd like to thank my friend for inspiring me to write this story at a sleepover one night with her insane babbling about JTHM 'what ifs'. I'd also like to thank Jhonen Vasquez for giving me a topic to write about.  
  
I want to let you know that the whole reason the dude who was possessing Nny went away, was because it didn't get the whole love thing, and when Devi kissed Nny, it exploded. Don't ask why. I don't know why. Well, I'm gonna go write some more now.  
  
*Fin* 


End file.
